Never Ending Chaos
by seasidewriter1
Summary: 3rd story in my 'Chaos' series. Read the first two before this one. Riley, Arabella and the rest of the gang are in Boston prior to the wedding, but what happens when a brand new threat paired with Ian Howe appear, searching for the possible treasure and power that could lie in the city of Atlantis? A time that's supposed to be joyful turns dangerous in no time. Riley/OC
1. Prologue: Breaking Confines

_Disclaimer: __ I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters, I only own my OC's, which means Mr./Mrs. Fletcher and Arabella._

Prologue: Breaking the Confines

_**Boston, Massachusetts, Third Person Point Of View**_

__The room was completely bare and completely monochromatic. Half way up the wall was tiled with white porciline squares and the rest of the way up was plaster the color of a stormy sea sky. There was a small metal table that sat in the center of the room and two metal chairs sat on either side. In one chair sat a man in an orange jumpsuit, his head bent, staring at his handcuffed hands, which were also attached to the table. His blond hair was cut short and messy, seeing as he had no reason to brush it after waking up in a prison cell every morning. The room was unbearably silent and he didn't understand why exactly he was brought into a visitation room; he knew no one who would want to visit him.

Just then a buzzer sounded and a heavy door opened and in stepped a man with dark hair that was slicked back with hair gel. His eyes were a dull green-blue and he wore a pristine suit with equally pristine shoes. He sat across from the prisoner, who then lifted his light blue eyes to meet the man who sat in front of him.

" Who the hell are you?" Asked the prisoner, the British accent to his voice ringing clear and true.

" Mr. Howe, I understand you don't know who I am," Replied the dark haired man as he rested his elbows on the cold metal of the table. Ian Howe gave his mystery visitor a look and raised a blond eyebrow.

" Obviously, otherwise I don't think I would have asked who the hell you were," Ian told him in a monotone, leaning back in his chair. The dark haired man smirked.

" My name is Travis Ratchet and, Mr. Howe, I think that you could help me with something; something I know you've had experience in before."

Those words sparked Ian's interest and he leaned forward a bit.

" Continue."

" Mr. Howe, how familiar are you with the Lost City of Atlantis?"

" Not much, why do you ask?" Ian inquired.

" I think I may have a brand new treasure hunting job for you, Mr. Howe."

Ian grinned.

_**Afterword:**__** And there's the prologue! =D Sorry it's short, but it's just a bit of a set up for the next adventure. IAN HAS RETURNED! OMG! I kinda just… had to, I find him a rather awesome villain! And there's also a new villain, Travis Ratchet, I wonder what he's after that's in Atlantis… We'll find out! Anyway review to tell me if you're excited about the new story! Let me know what you thought of the prologue, Ian's return and the new villain! Reviews would be loved! Thanks again!**_

_**~Mary**_


	2. Flying Up To Boston

_Disclaimer: __ I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters, I only own my OC's, which means Mr./Mrs. Fletcher and Arabella._

Chapter One: Flying Up To Boston

_**Reagan National Airport, Washington D.C., 4:47 AM, Arabella's Point Of View**_

My head lolled forward as I sat in the horridly uncomfortable airport seats. My eyes were shut and I barely registered I could be falling out of my seat. At the sound of the intercom turning on my eyes snapped open and I immediately straightened up, blinking slowly. I was exhausted. It's currently… wait… what time is it? I glanced at the watch on my wrist and registered the time with a groan. Four forty seven AM. I slouched back into my seat, my lightweight coat gathering up around my neck.

" Look like you could use a coffee," Riley Poole, my beloved fiancé, said to me as he walked over to me, sitting down. He extended a coffee cup towards me and I groaned in appreciation as I took it.

" You're the absolute best, you know that, right?" I asked sleepily, leaning against his shoulder as I sipped at the hot coffee. Riley laughed and ruffled his already messy short deep brown hair.

" I would expect that you would think of me like that; we are getting married in a week," He told me with a grin. I grinned back up and yawned again.

" Remind me why we're taking such an early flight and Ben and Abigail are flying out in the afternoon?"

" Because your parents want to see you before they have to go to work, remember?"

" Right…" I trailed off sleepily, gripping my caffeine source in my hands. The flight to Boston was going to take just over an hour and a half to fly up to Boston, where we would land at Logan Airport, meet up with my parents, check into our hotel, finally get some sleep and then meet up with Ben and Abigail around two.

Riley and I were getting married in one week. Seven days! We were spending that time in Boston, where we would be getting married in the town of Essex, which was a coastal town. We'd spent the last few months planning the wedding, which would be small with only friends and family. Abigail was my Maid of Honor and Ben was the Best Man. I couldn't ask for anything better.

I must have dozed off because Riley gently shook my shoulder and told me it was time to board the plane. I grabbed my carry on bag and we both made our way to board the plane. I looked up at Riley and noticed he looked a bit more awake than I was.

" Riley, I'm sorry, but how the hell are you more awake than I am at this present moment?" I asked as I handed my boarding pass to the one of the flight attendants, who checked it and told me to go ahead and board. Once Riley did the same, he smirked at me. And wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

" I have no idea," Came his response. I rolled my eyes.

Once we boarded the plane and sat in our seats, I just buckled my seatbelt and leaned my head on Riley's shoulder, ready to sleep the entire way to Boston. And, just as we began to take off, I finally fell asleep.

_**Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, 5:59 AM**_

When we landed I was more awake than I had been when we had been in D.C. Riley and I made our way down to baggage as I sent a quick text to my Mom, letting her know we'd landed. When we came down to the baggage area, the two of us looked around for my parents. We hadn't been looking for long when my Mom suddenly appeared and pulled me into a hug. I let out a laugh and hugged her back.

" Nice to see you again!" I told her, laughing as she pulled away.

" I missed you so much!" She told me, fixing the front of my jacket like she had when I was little. She had thick brown hair that was pulled up into a bun, and she was now an inch or two _shorter_ than I was.

" I've missed you too, Mom," I told her as we both turned our attention to Riley and my Dad, who were shaking hands.

" Good to see you again, Riley," My Dad said with a smile. Riley smiled back.

" Great to see you again, Mr. Fletcher," He said.

" Have you been good to my daughter?"

" Yes, of course," Riley assured him as they released the other's hand.

" Speaking of daughters, welcome home, Sweetheart!" My Dad told me, pulling me into a hug as my Mom did the same to Riley. I hugged him back, my chin resting on his shoulder.

" Thanks! I've missed you both so much! I can't believe I'm finally back in Boston, it'll be nice to see everything again," I said as we pulled away from the embrace.

" Let's get your bags and drop you off at your hotel," He said with a smile as we walked over to the luggage carrousel. Riley and my Mom soon joined us and we grabbed our bags, and with that we went locate my parents car.

My parents had officially met Riley at our engagement party back in D.C. about a week and a half after we got engaged. Both my parents love him, and Riley relaxed a huge amount afterwards. He'd been worried they would reject him once they truly met him, but that obviously didn't happen since they both thought he was amazing.

As Riley and I climbed into the back seat of my parents' black VW Jetta, I smiled over at Riley, taking his hand.

" So, you've never been to Boston," I said, remembering a conversation we had a few months back.

" Never. Though I could have gone when we decided to bust Ian, but that was sort of a whole 'you and Ben were getting back at him' sort of thing. But I'm excited I get to see it with you," He told me, smiling. I smiled back as he briefly leaned down to kiss me. " And you get to tell me about all the history, and we both know how much we both love that." I laughed and blushed playfully smacking him on the chest.

" Hey, my parents are getting in the car, shush!" I whispered to him and he laughed, kissing my temple. I had lived in Boston with my family before we all moved down to Pennsylvania, where I then met Ben and the whole adventure seeking began. My parents had surprisingly never been worried about that whole thing; they thought it was something to keep me occupied and focused on what I loved, so they let it be.

" So, any crazy treasure hunts we haven't heard about since Cibola?" My Dad asked, ruffling his curly hair. Riley and I chuckled and shook our heads.

" Thankfully no. It's been surprisingly calm," Riley informed as we left the parking garage, heading out towards the highway to head into Downtown Boston.

" And hopefully none of those adventures till _after_ the wedding and the honeymoon because it would only complicate things," I added as I watched the familiar city speed by.

" I highly doubt that something like that could suddenly start up in less than a week," My Dad said with a laugh. The sun was rising and coloring the sky pink and orange, the clouds resting softly in the sky.

" So, which hotel are you staying at?" My Mom asked. I shook my head and laughed a bit.

" Right, sorry, I forgot to mention that… Um, it's the Colonnade Hotel, it's just across the street from the Prudential Center," I told them before yawning. " Ben and Abigail are staying there too, they're coming in around two, so we can all have dinner together."

" That's great! It'll be great to see them again," My Mom commented.

When we pulled up to the hotel, my parents helped us get our luggage out and gave us hugs one last time before they had to leave for work. We tiredly dragged our bags to check in and found our room. I nearly passed out in the elevator, but managed not to when the doors opened with a _ding_. Our hotel room was fairly small; one bed, one desk, a television, a small kitchenette and a bathroom. The first thing I did was yank off my shoes and jacket, collapsing right onto the bed. I groaned and curled up, shutting my exhausted eyes. I heard Riley laugh.

" Are you even going to change?" He asked, still laughing. I opened my eyes to glare at him.

" I'm exhausted, don't get on my nerves, I will attack you with a pillow," I muttered and curled up again, not bothering to get under the covers. I felt Riley sit on the edge of the bed and barely registered as he lay down beside me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I fell asleep in barely a minute.

OOOO

When I woke up I glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. It read as eleven fifty. I yawned and sat up, ruffling my hair lazily. My t-shirt was scrunched up and wrinkled immensely and the waistband of my jeans were digging uncomfortably into my waist. I stood and shuffled over to my suitcase, quietly unzipping it as I registered that Riley was still asleep. I yanked out a new pair of jeans and a new shirt along with shampoo and a brush, heading to the bathroom for a shower.

Once I had taken my shower, which had felt wonderful after a long morning, I changed and began to brush through my hair and blow-dry it. I had it cut a few weeks back, and it now rested just at my shoulders. I brushed through the now mostly dry curls, which then turned into thick defined waves, which would only begin to curl again in a few minutes. I stepped out of the bathroom to find Riley sitting on the edge of the bed, sleepily rubbing his eyes. I laughed quietly and walked over, ruffling his hair. He glanced up at me, eyebrow raised.

" Your hair always looks cute after you wake up," I told him as he stood. He rolled his eyes and kissed my forehead.

" So does yours, but obviously you already got ready for the day…"

" And we'll go get lunch after you get ready." I sat back down on the bed and stretched, leaving Riley to get ready.

OOOO

We spent a majority of the afternoon at the Prudential Center where we got lunch, before heading to the car rental place, which was the first bump in the road for the trip. Riley was leaning against the counter; head in his hands and his shoulders slumped. I was pinching the bridge of my nose and my brow was furrowed.

" I'm sorry, Mr. Poole, but I don't have any records of you calling in ahead of time…" Said the employee for the third time, running a hand through her red hair. Riley looked up, running his palms down his cheeks.

" I know I called, I called _twice _just to make sure that we had a car ready," He said with a sigh.

" I'm sorry, but I don't see anything on record…" The woman clicked away on the keys of the keyboard again. I groaned and looked at the clock on the wall.

" We'll be late for picking Ben and Abigail up…" I muttered.

" I know, which is why I'm trying to get them to realize I called," Riley said in his slightly annoyed monotone.

" Well then…" I muttered, crossing my arms, watching the woman check the records again. It was rare Riley and I ever got into small arguments and even more rare that we ever got into full-fledged fights, which I counted as a blessing. But, at this moment in time with a good amount of stress building up, an argument was bound to arise.

It took another seven minutes for the employee to realize she had just been checking the wrong files, which made me bite back what shouting I had been wanting to do. All I did was snatch the keys, give half of a mock-bow and then turned on my heel and dragged Riley into the parking garage.

" And this is why I hate rental cars…" I muttered as I jumped into the driver's seat.

" I can see why. I would also add 'car chases' to the reason you hate rental cars," Riley suggested as I turned the keys, starting the car. I smiled a bit and chuckled with a nod.

" True," I agreed, glancing down to my arm where the glass from our rental car windows in Britain had cut my arm. I had a few very pale scars from the deeper slices, but otherwise it was almost impossible to tell I had been injured there before. I pulled onto the highway and with a bit of trouble in remembering the right turn-offs, but recalled it after a moment.

Ben and Abigail had actually been waiting for us for about ten minutes before we came to pick them up. I laughed as Ben raised an eyebrow when we walked over.

" Don't blame us, blame the horrible rental car system," I told hi before giving him a hug and moving to give one to Abigail.

" At least you showed up, we were afraid we'd have to get a cab or something," Abigail teased with a laugh, sweeping her blond hair from her face.

" Well, you don't have to worry about that, will you?" Riley joked with a grin. " What do you guys say we go get you guys something to eat, I know plane food isn't that satisfying."

So, that's how we ended up back at the Prudential Center right after the airport, sitting in a small café. We talked and laughed with each other for a while just before words from the news report on the television made me spit out my soda, which dribbled down my chin and the front of my shirt, and caused Riley to pale drastically. All of our heads snapped to look at the screen.

" _It has been reported today that criminal, Ian Howe has broken out of FBI custody…_"

_**Afterword:**__**There's chapter one! Mostly a filler, but it was a way to get them to Boston and get the gang there! So, next chapter a bit of conflict should arise and I hope you liked the chapter!**_

_** REVIEW RESPONSES!**_

**grapejuice101: **_I'm glad you like it so far! I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for the review!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ Glad you like it so far! I hope you liked this chapter and thanks again for the review!_

**WulfLuvr22:**_ I'll see if I can get you thinking about Atlantis XD I'm still doing research on it too, planning out some stuff as well. I really hope you liked the chapter! Thanks again!_

**Don'tTouchMyBrownies:**_ Indeed it does! =D And now they know Ian's escaped from prison O.o That should be an interesting development… Hope you liked the chapter! Thanks again!_

**will zona:**_ Yeah, Ian seems to actually be letting Travis control his actions so far… but knowing Ian, he could easily turn everything around and be the one in control. I'm glad you like it so far! Thanks again!_

_**And thank you to those who have read/reviewed/added this to their favorites or their story alerts, it means a lot to me! =D**_

_** Okay, so I just started school on Tuesday, so updates may be spaced out a lot, especially since I'm gonna try and post to all my other stories as well XD So, do forgive me about the spaced out updates! Reviews would be loved! Again, sorry about it all being a filler chapter. Let me know how I'm doing so far! Thanks again!**_

_**~Mary**_


	3. Chapter Two: Precious Gift

_Disclaimer: I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters. I only own my OC Arabella and her family._

Chapter Two: Precious Gift

" Arabella, please relax," Abigail told me with a worried sigh. I looked over at her as I handed the cashier a twenty for a new t-shirt. I had pretty much ended up spilling my entire bottle of soda on my shirt after I watched the news report about Ian.

" Would you be relaxed if you were me?" I asked as I took the bag from the man behind the counter. Swiping a blond strand of hair from her face, Abigail gave me a kind smile.

" I guess not," She said.

" Exactly."

" But please try, it's a _big_ city and I doubt he's after you specifically." I shot her a look as we walked into the airport bathroom. She leaned against the outside of one of the stalls, where I walked in and locked the door, stripping off my damp shirt. I pulled on my brand new shirt, which was pink with 'BOSTON' printed across the chest in white letters.

" Not after me?" I asked, opening the stall door again, giving her a look. " Ben and I put him _in_ FBI custody. I can guarantee that would cause a grudge, and knowing him, he's not one to let a grudge go. I also feel he'd like the idea of revenge." I yanked the tag off of the shirt and tossed the bag away, grasping my other shirt in my hand.

" Well, even if he _is_ after you and Ben, he'd go down to D.C. to look for you, wouldn't he?" Abigail pointed out as we left the bathroom. That _was_ a good point…

" No comment," I muttered as we made our way towards the parking lot. Laughing, Abigail rolled her eyes and smiled.

" Okay, let's leave that train of thought behind and focus on something else. So, Ben and Riley are in a cab to the city to go have some guy time and you and I are taking the rental car for some girl time, right?"

" That's correct," I said, finally smiling at her.

" Aren't you scared they're going to get lost?" Abigail asked as I opened the trunk of the car and put her bag in. I thought for a moment.

" No."

" Really?"

" Yeah. I know the city pretty well, so if we loose them, then we'll just, you know, track them down like the Doctor does with evil aliens," I said, spouting a Doctor Who reference. Abigail just rolled her eyes, probably not catching it and walked to the side door.

As I hopped into the drivers seat, discarding my wet shirt in the back seat, I couldn't help but feel another pull in my stomach as I started the car. Ian was on the loose. In Boston, most likely. I couldn't help but feel nervous, I mean, who could blame me? The man had no problem threatening my life by pressing a gun to my jaw, so would it be so far fetched to put actual murder past him?

" Arabella." Abigail's voice reached my ears. I jumped and looked over at her. She gave me another 'stop thinking about it look' and nodded to the steering wheel.

" Alright, alright, sorry. But, face it, I'm probably handling it better than Riley."

_**Riley's POV:**_

" Ben, why did this have to happen _now!?_" I all but yelled as Ben attempted to hail a taxi. Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair, shooting me a look.

" Riley, it's a horrible coincidence, but nothing is going to happen! It's not like he's going to come after you," Ben told me, looking around for a cab. I groaned and ran my hands through my hair.

" You're joking right? He tried to _kill us_. He threatened to kill Arabella! I don't want to put her in danger, I love her too much to loose her. Why else would Ian break out of jail other than revenge? Huh? When does _any_ bad-guy break out of jail other than for revenge and freedom? Tell me, Ben, when?" I asked, crossing my arms as a taxi finally pulled up. We climbed in the back, Ben placing his suitcase on his knees. He gave the cabbie the address of the hotel and we began to drive.

" Riley, this isn't a movie. We can all trust the FBI to get him back. He won't come for us, I promise," Ben said in a tired voice. " But I'm glad you're concerned for Arabella's well-being, if you weren't I might have to do something about it."

" Yeah, if Ian ends up killing one of us I'm gonna do something about it too…" I muttered in monotone.

_**Arabella's POV:**_

" I don't think you should keep drinking caffeinated beverages," Abigail said in a teasing tone as I opened my bottle of Coke. I snorted and crossed my ankles.

" Oh, come on, I woke up at like, what, _three_ this morning? When did _you_ wake up?" I asked in a monotone and sipped my drink defiantly.

" You won't be able to sleep!" She said, laughing as we sat down in the crowded seating area inside of Quincy Market. It was a miracle that we had actually _found _a seat, usually people had to go outside and sit on the stone planters or benches to eat. As I stuck a spoon into my ice cream, I laughed.

" Who said I won't be staying up late?" I asked. I had meant it in the most innocent way possible; I had been planning on going into Cambridge at some point to be able to see the lit-up skyline of Boston. It was one of the things I remembered vividly from when I was younger. The skyline of Boston at night was gorgeous. But, leave it to Abigail to think I was implying… well… something else.

" I didn't really need to know that," She chided, opening her bottle of water. I paused as I registered her comment.

" Abigail! No! I was _not_ talking about that! Oh, come on, you know I don't talk about things like that!" I groaned, dropping my head to my hands. She laughed and rolled her eyes.

" Relax, I know," Abigail told me, leaning back in her chair. I looked up, feeling the heat in my bright pink cheeks. She grinned at me.

" You are _so mean._"

" But I'm your best friend, I have a right to tease you, don't I?" I just mumbled and ate a spoon full of ice cream. " So, when are Riley and Ben meeting up with us?"

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

" In half an hour. We'll meet them at the Prudential Center. We'll drop off your bags and all that and decide what to do for the rest of the day," I told her, setting my phone back on the table.

We ate lunch and chatted mostly about wedding things. I had a feeling Abigail was using the subject to keep my mind off of Ian and how I was convinced he was going to be coming after me. I had to admit, she was doing a good job.

" So, is your dress here?" Abigail asked. I nodded.

" Yeah, it's at my parent's house. I had the last alteration done and it's now sitting in my old closet, waiting to be worn in a week," I said, voice getting quieter at the end. She smiled at me.

" You're going to look gorgeous, I know it," She said. She'd been with my Mom and I when I chose it. They suffered through a few hours of trying on dresses, which was torture for all of us. When I found it, I was incredibly happy. It was also the exact moment everything completely sank in and the stress of wedding planning began.

" And _thank you_ for not getting a hideous bridesmaid dress," She told me. I grinned at her.

" I'd never put you through that torture."

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

" I think that's you're phone."

I looked at my phone to find Riley's name flashing on the screen. I answered it asking,

" Hey, what's up?"

" What happened to meeting Ben and I at the Prudential Center?" He asked in a teasing tone.

" Um…"

" You lost track of time, didn't you?"

" Oh, shut up, we'll be there in like, ten minutes," I said as I heard both him and Ben laughing.

" Right, sorry, had to tease you about that, you never loose track of time," Riley teased. I rolled my eyes and stood saying,

" Shut up, I'll see you soon."

" Love you too, Arabella." It sounded like he was smiling.

OOOO

Ben and Riley were sitting on a bench outside a Barnes and Noble, both holding a small bag and reading through a pamphlet. Riley had his glasses on, and Ben did too, and both were talking about something.

" Ah, our adorable nerds," I said as we walked up. Both quickly stood, pulling off their glasses. I smirked.

" Finally showed up, I see," Ben said, straightening his jacket.

" Hey, it wasn't our fault. We haven't been able to have any time to talk in almost a _week_," Abigail defended us, crossing her arms.

" Well, since we got an extra half hour with nothing to do, we decided on where to go next," Ben said, holding out the pamphlet. I took the glossy folded up piece of paper.

" The MFA?" I asked, looking up. The MFA was the Museum of Fine Arts. I'd been there a few times when I was little, and from what I was able to remember, it was a pretty cool place. Both nodded.

" They've got a special exhibit on Greece right now; they've got some new artifacts that they say might have been from, okay, wait for it…" Riley smirked and held up a finger. " Atlantis."

" Atlantis?" Abigail asked skeptically, crossing her arms, eyebrow raised.

" Yeah! You know, sunk into the ocean never to be seen again?" Riley added on, crossing his arms as well.

" Not real."

" We found the _Templar Treasure and the City of Gold._ I think that there's a possibility that it could be real," He said, last part becoming his classic monotone. I rolled my eyes at the two, who always got into small banters like this.

" I think it's a _great_ idea; we can also take a look at some other exhibits as well. Besides, I haven't been there since I was a kid, it should be fun!" I said.

" _Exactly_," Riley said triumphantly.

" Riley, don't pick on Abigail. Abigail, he has a point. I think Arabella and I will happily be you're personal guides as well," Ben said with a smile, pulling me into a one armed hug. I grinned and nodded. Riley and Abigail shared a glance and laughed a bit.

" Of course…" Abigail muttered mockingly.

" What harm ever came from going to a museum?" Riley asked as we all made our way towards the doors.

" Oh, don't say that," I begged. " Evy said that in The Mummy and they ended up having a pissed off mummy coming after them."

OOOO

On the way to the MFA we made another short stop for Ben and Riley to get lunch. While Ben ordered with Abigail by his side, Riley and I waited outside, leaning against the car.

" So what did you and Ben do?" I asked as I leaned my head on his shoulder. Riley shrugged gently, smiling down at me.

" Oh, you know; after I freaked out about Ian's escape we just sort of… walked around." Ah, so I _was _right! He did freak out. Well… I did too… but I was probably a lot calmer… " Neither of us have either been in Boston or not been here long enough to know anything to do. So we did what we do best. We got lost. But we did end up in some tiny little shop that's some how affiliated with the MFA and I just so happened to get you something," Riley told me, digging around in his pocket a moment.

" Riley, you really didn't have to," I told him.

" It really just sort of screamed at me; it looks all old and ancient so I just sort of thought it might interest you." He pulled out a small, flat white box and pressed it into my hands, smiling excitedly. He nodded at it. " Go on." I gave him a look before opening the box.

Inside, resting on fluffy white cotton, was a old and delicate looking necklace. It hung off a braided chain that was a worn, dull gold. The pendant was essentially a silver Greek coin, with the face of a Gorgon on it. The coin was dull was surrounded by curling pieces of dull gold.

" It's supposed to be a replica of one at the museum. If I read the pamphlet correctly, the original was found in Santorini and is supposed to have come from Atlantis," Riley told me. I smiled up at him, gently picking it up out of the box.

" Riley, I love it! Thank you! My God, they did a _really_ good job of making it look old… it's perfectly dulled and everything…" I pointed it out, flipping it over where it looked scratched. " Do you know what's on the face of the coin?"

Riley smiled as he kissed the top of my head, his arms wrapping around my waist.

" No, but I'd love for you to tell me."

" It's a Gorgon. They're hideous creatures that are always depicted with teeth bared or a tongue sticking out, like on this coin. The most famous Gorgon is, of course, Medusa, but her two sisters were also turned into these creatures as well. You see, Medusa was_ beautiful_, and Poseidon took notice of her. Of all places they decided to sleep together, it was Athena's temple. So, becoming angry, Athena turned Medusa into a Gorgon, which caused her sisters to turn as well. They became immortal but Medusa stayed mortal and was eventually was beheaded by Perseus," I explained, holding up the coin for him to look at. Riley took it and stared at it.

" Didn't Medusa turn men into stone?" He asked, brows furrowed.

" Yep."

" Nice lady," He muttered, slipping the necklace around my neck and clasping it in the back. I smiled down at it. " I'm glad you like it."

" Thanks again," I told him. Leaning up and giving him a kiss, fixing the necklace with one of my hands. The coin was cold against my skin, unnaturally so it seemed. But then again, it had been sitting in a box for a while, unexposed to the sun. So, who's to say that it can't be cold? With that thought pushed aside and the fact that Ben had just returned with his and Riley's food, we all climbed back into the car, heading towards the museum.

_**Afterword: GAH! I am SO SORRY! I didn't anticipate this plot line being tough to write for XD This one was especially hard since I had to figure out some major plot things and how to get them introduced and such. Believe it or not, one such point was introduced here amongst the random filler stuff. HA-HA! Anyway, I'm still so sorry but I hoped you liked it!**_

_**REVIEW REPLIES!**_

**grapejuice101:**_ Yeah, school's been a major factor in late updating lately… it just sucks creativity out of my mind… XD Well, I got this up and I am SO HAPPY! Hope you liked it and thanks again!_

**WulfLuver22:**_ I have to admit, Ian is pretty hot XD I didn't used to think so, but my opinions have changed XD And, no, you're right Atlantis IS underwater… we'll see how that predicament plays out XD But the Disney Atlantis movie used to be my favorite film EVER. It brings back SO many memories! Anyway, thanks for the review, hope you'll stay and read more! Sorry 'bout the late update!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ Yeah, Abigail and Ben seem to be trying to keep the peace, who can blame them? But it will be interesting to see how things unfold and if things go wrong how they'll react. Thanks so much for the review and hope you'll keep reading!_

**DontTouchMyBrownies:**_ They thought it was going to be a relaxing vacation to Boston, but they should have known something was going to happen. Poor them… =( I hope you're enjoying and thanks again for the review!_

**will zona:**_ I'm glad you like it so far! As for the actress, I just figured it out; I thought that Rachel McAdams might fit Arabella well. I'm glad you've enjoyed the past two chapters and hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks again!_

**Phillipfan24:**_ Sorry I made you wait so long for this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it now that it's here! Thanks so much for the review!  
_**darkninja21:**_ I'm so glad you've enjoyed the stories! I always thought Riley deserved someone good for him =D I hope you'll keep reading and thanks again for the review!_

**fantasyluver714:**_ The shock of it all! Now we have Ian lurking around and we don't know where or what he's going to do! Thanks again for the review, hope you enjoyed the chapter!_

**Jojo the magic poptart:**_ I'm so glad you like it thus far! Hope you enjoyed this new chapter and will keep reading! Thanks again!_

**And thanks so much for all those who have added this to story alert/favorites, it means so much!**

_** If anyone would like to see the necklace I chose to use in this story, see my Polyvore (link on my profile). It's based off a necklace I found online, it looks pretty cool! If you go to look at it, imagine it a bit dull and old looking.**_

_** Okay, guys, that's it… FOR NOW! I really hope you'll al stick around for more and thank you for all the support thus far! You're all freaking AMAZING! =D Review and let me know what you think so far! Thanks again you guys!**_

_**~Mary**_


	4. Chapter Three: Our Old Game

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters. I only own my OC Arabella and her family._

Chapter Three: Our Old Game

" So that was a statue of…" Ben began to whisper to Abigail as we all rounded a corner towards a large set of marble stairs, opening up to an almost rotunda like room, doors on all sides that led to different to exhibit.

" Believe it or not, I didn't know what that statue was of," I whispered to Riley with a smirk as I took his hand. Riley's eyebrows shot up.

" _Really?_" He asked. I nodded and noted a sign that pointed towards the newer bit of the Greek exhibit. I looked back at Ben and Abigail, who were walking slowly behind us, still discussing whatever Ben had been telling her about. " That's surprising…" I smacked his arm a bit and nodded to the Greek exhibit.

" Let's go ahead, I'm sure they won't mind," I said to him, taking his hand. He chuckled and nodded as we passed through the door. " So, mind if I go all history geek on you?"

" Go right ahead."

So, as we walked through the entire exhibit, I pointed out statues of Athena and Poseidon, what helmets would have been used for what, what myths were most interesting, and what the suspected every day life of an ancient Greek citizen would have been. I was in the middle of explaining Pandora's Box, Ben and Abigail caught up with us.

" Seen the supposed stuff from Atlantis yet?" Abigail asked, sending Riley a look on 'supposed' and 'Atlantis'. He gave a quiet, fake chuckle that was _very_ Riley.

" No, actually, I think we got caught up in looking around at the other things…" I admitted, blushing a bit. Ben laughed and rolled his eyes, gesturing to the next room.

" Let's go then," He said. We all walked into the room and looked at some of the paintings on the wall.

" Well, I'm guessing these… drawings… explain Atlantis…" Riley muttered, looking at the wall.

" Yeah, here we see the first one being the city in its complete glory. You see, supposedly the people of Atlantis were incredibly smart and talented. Eventually, they thought they could rival the gods… and then they thought they were practically gods," Ben began to explain.

" So, some people say the gods decided to punish them. A series of serious earthquakes shook the city. And so, the famous city of Atlantis began to sink and eventually disappeared under the sea in one day and one night. Now, many people wrote about this, like Plato," I finished off, crossing my arms. I looked over at Riley to see him staring at a statue of what appeared to be Zeus. He was smirking.

" He looks like he's wearing a dress…" He said with a slight giggle. I looked over to Ben, who shared a roll of the eyes with me at Riley's sudden stroke of… well… Riley Randomness as we'd come to deem it.

" Be careful what you say, that's Zeus. He could strike you down with one bolt of lightning," Ben whispered to Riley, patting his arm. Riley laughed and shook his head, putting his hands in the pockets of his tan jacket.

" Well, I mean, Zeus isn't real," Riley said.

" Says the man who believes in Atlantis," Abigail muttered, walking off to go look around. Riley spun to face her, jabbing a finger in her direction.

" Hey, you're the one who doubted the Templar Treasure!" He shot back. I laughed an shook my head, blowing back strands of hair that fell into my face.

" Sometimes I wonder how wise your choice to marry him was," Ben muttered to me as we began to walk around together. I snickered and covered my mouth.

" Well, maybe the randomness is one of the reasons I decided to marry him."

" Hey, Arabella, this is what your necklace must be modeled after," Abigail called out softly. I turned on my heel and walked over to a glass case in the center of the room. Inside it was a stand with a necklace identical to the one that now sat around my neck. " It looks a bit more… polished." Abigail looked between the artifact in the case and the replica around my neck. I touched the coin with light fingers, the now warmed up metal pressing against my skin.

" Yeah… It does…" I muttered, brows creasing. " Usually they wouldn't clean it to preserve it… I mean, I should know, I work at the Smithsonian, they're _pretty_ tough on those kinds of rules."

" I'm sure it was a choice made by all the supervisors," Ben said as he and Riley joined us at the case. " Remember, sometimes they _do_ choose to clean the artifacts off."

" Yeah, I guess so…" I said quietly, continuing to stare at the necklace.

I knew it shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but I couldn't help it. It just didn't seem right. I shook my head and wrote it off as nerves. With all the stress of the wedding, Ian escaping, and just general feelings that rushed into my head with every little piece of worrying news, I could barely sort out what I thought was actually right or truly just my imagination. I laced my fingers through Riley's as we listened to Ben explain what a Gorgon was again. I rested my head on his shoulder, smiling when I felt him press a long kiss to the top of my head.

OOOO

_**Third Person POV:**_

The lock on the hotel suite door clicked as the door shut. Travis Ratchet tossed his expensive leather coat onto a small bench by the door, keeping his gaze fixed in front of him. He spotted Ian sitting on the crème colored couch, laptop on his lap, searching up a few things.

" Have you got anything yet?" Travis asked as he walked into the room. Ian looked up, brow arching a bit.

" Actually, I might have," Ian responded, nodding to the screen. As Travis walked towards him, he waved off another man dressed in all black, who had been holding out a glass of water for him. He walked over to stand behind Ian, staring down at the screen. " I've been doing a lot of reading and found a few… legends that are, shall we say, lesser known. There has been talk of a key to open the doors to Atlantis. A necklace. It's the only thing to use in order to actually be able to pass through the gates without getting killed. And guess what the Museum of Fine Arts here in the lovely city of Boston has decided to take onto display?"

Travis leaned down and took the laptop, looking at a picture on the screen. It was titled: **Greek Gorgon Necklace: Fabled to Have Belonged to Atlantis.** The necklace in the picture was of a Greek coin necklace with a face of a Gorgon inscribed on it. He smirked and read more of the description.

" Well, I think we might have found exactly what we've needed," Travis muttered, handing the laptop back. He straightened out his red button down and walked to sit in a large, comfortable armchair that matched the color of the couch. " Have any ideas on how to get in?" He arched a dark eyebrow, crossing his ankles and propping them up on the shiny oak coffee table.

Ian closed the laptop and set it beside him, smirking as he crossed his arms.

" Do you even have to ask that? Tell me…" He trailed off before leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees. " Do any of your men know how to hack into computer systems?"

OOOO

_**Arabella's POV:**_

The methodic clicking of the subway wheels clacking over the tracks echoed in the train car as Riley and I made our way to the T station in Cambridge. Riley had actually passed out a few minutes into the ride, his face pressed into my neck, his hands closed around my right hand. I had my head resting against his, smiling happily. An older woman who was sitting across from us had made a comment about us looking so in love, a statement that I agreed with, but Riley was unable to respond, seeing as he had already fallen asleep.

" _Now arriving at Alewife,_" Said a voice over the speaker. The train began to slow down as we arrived at the station. I nudged Riley a few times, which caused him to jump an sputter a bit.

" Huh… what? No, I didn't eat the last… oh…" Riley muttered, looking around, trailing off when he remembered we were on the T. He rubbed his eyes as the train shuddered to a stop. I laughed.

" Didn't eat the last what, exactly?" I asked. Riley shook his head as he pulled me up to stand.

" Um… just a dream I was having. Abigail blamed me for eating the last brownie she made," Riley muttered, shaking his head. I laughed again, pulling him off the train. " Remind me where we're going again?"

" It'll be a bit of a walk, but it'll be worth it. From the bridges in Cambridge you can see the Boston skyline, which at night is _gorgeous,_" I told him.

We took the walk from the train station, which was about a half hour at the least till we ended up on the banks of the Charles River. I practically pulled Riley onto one of the bridges arching over the river, ignoring Riley's questions about the Harvard Campus just across the street. I stopped at the railing and smiled out at the view. In the distance the skyline of Boston was lit up with lights. The buildings were dotted with dozens of lights and a few red ones would fade in then fade out again, signaling planes to not fly low. The view was reflected in the water of the river, which distorted it in ripples and small waves, the faint noise from the city equally distorted.

I gripped the cold stone of the bridge railing, smiling. Out of every sight in Boston I'd grown to miss, this was number one. It showed just how gorgeous the city could be at night. People always talked about the New York City skyline, but people rarely talked about Boston's skyline, which was equally as impressive in my eyes.

" Wow…" Riley muttered, staring across at it.

" Awesome, right?" I asked.

" Definitely," He agreed, wrapping an arm around my waist, standing close to my side. I smiled and leaned into him. " I can see why you wanted to drag me out here." I felt my mouth drop open and I smacked my chest.

" I did not _drag _you here, Mr. Poole! If I remember correctly you said, 'Oh, sure, I'd love to see what you want to show me. Let's go.'"

" Well, Ms. Fletcher, I seem to not remember said conversation _at all._ Sorry," Riley told me with a smirk and in his monotone. I rolled my eyes.

" Of course you don't," I muttered. He smiled down at me.

" You know, I'm really enjoying this trip so far… even though it's been only a day. I love being able to see you so excited about the city. We'll have to visit more often," Riley told me truthfully. I smiled up at him and spotted a piece of lint in his hair. I reached up and pulled it out, smoothing out the spot it had been in.

" We'll make that a plan," I agreed.

Riley leaned down and put a hand on my cheek. I tilted my head up and met his lips in a kiss. It was moments like these, when Riley gave me such a sweet, loving, gentle kiss, that I remembered all the reasons I loved him. I wound my arms around his neck and smiled against his lips at the perfection of the moment. I felt like nothing could go wrong.

OOOO

_**Third Person POV:**_

The MFA night guard fell to the floor with a harsh thud, completely unconscious. Two pairs of black boots stepped over the man, making their way towards the Gorgon necklace in the center of the room. Ian and Travis stood around the glass case.

" Are the alarms turned off?" Ian questioned into a walkie-talkie, staring at their prize inside the case.

" _Yes, Mr. Howe,_" Came the voice from the other end. Travis quickly and carefully picked the lock on the side of the case till it popped open, allowing Ian to reach inside and take the necklace. He smirked at the item in his hands, but it suddenly fell when he noticed something on the back.

" What is it?" Travis asked in confusion. Ian's jaw clenched as he noted a few words inscribed on the inside of the necklace. They read '_Made in China'_. He jabbed a finger at the words angrily.

" Someone must have gotten here before us," Ian muttered grimly. " Good thing there are security tapes."

In the security room, where yet another guard had been knocked out, Ian and Travis watched an entire days worth of security tapes in fast-forward. Suddenly, four people caught his eye.

" Wait, wait, stop the tape. Rewind a few minutes," He ordered. Their fellow robber rewound the tape and paused so they were all staring at four people gathered around the case. Ian felt his jaw tighten drastically. " Not again…"

In front of his eyes was the image of Ben Gates, Abigail Chase, Riley Poole and Arabella Fletcher.

" Do you know them?"

" Their only the four that put me in jail," Ian growled as he leaned closer. A cruel smirk suddenly appeared on his face. " And look at what our dear Arabella is wearing…" He pointed at her neck. " The Gorgon necklace."

" Well, I'd say we might intend on paying Miss Fletcher a visit, don't you think?" Travis asked, cold blue eyes only turning icier. " Lets go, we'll have to make some… plans before we set this plan in motion."

Ian smirked as they all stood to leave.

_Well, well, well…_ He thought to himself. _Looks like our old game has been restarted._

_**Afterword:**__** Happy Thanksgiving to all! =D Thought I'd finish this chapter and post it as soon as possible! It's short yet again, but I'm trying to get into all the action pretty soon. Also, to any who are curious, when I picture Travis Ratchet, the actor in my head that pops up happens to be the amazing Cillian Murphy. =D I sort of love him, he's awesome! **_

_**Review replies!**_

**grapejuice101:**_ I'm glad you liked the chapter and have kept up with me even though my absences have been long and excruciating XD I really hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!_

**will zona: **_I must thank you for not giving up on me that would have made me SO sad! But I'm glad you liked the chapter and hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks again!_

**Thank you to those who have also read and added this to favorites/story alerts. It means a lot to me!**

_** Well, I hope to get another one up soon, but I have my play coming up this next week, as well as my birthday on the 29**__**th**__**, which will probably cause a lack of updating in the next few days… maybe a week. But stick with me please! I'd like to know how this story is! Well, review to let me know what you thought! Thanks again everyone!**_

_**~Mary**_


	5. Four: Caught In The Crowd

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own either National Treasure movies or any of their characters. I only own Arabella (and her family) as well as Travis and his henchmen._

**Foreword:**** This chapter switches POV's quite a lot, so bare with me here XD This is were the action begins to actually pick up!**

Four: Caught In The Crowd

_**Arabella's POV:**_

" Boston Massacre, took place right here," Ben commented as we stood in the shade of the Old State House, gesturing to a cobblestone circle that had been placed to mark the location. The building looked out of place in the middle of the city, yet it seemed so in place. It was a fairly large brick building of three floors and a white balcony. On the top there was a black clock gilded with gold, and to the left of the clock, seemingly supporting part of the building was a regal lion, and on the right side, a unicorn. An American flag fluttered in the breeze above the doorway to the balcony and the windows were well kept, the original glass still in tact.

" So… how many people died?" Riley asked, looking deep in thought.

" Five dead, six injured," I replied immediately, adjusting my sunglasses. Riley nodded, looking around some more.

" I'm surprised _you_ haven't chimed in with any facts," Abigail told Ben in surprise, nudging his shoulder. He chuckled and patted my back.

" This is Arabella's city, she should tell _us_ the facts," He replied with a smirk. I grinned and gave a swooping and mock bow.

" I live to spout history facts, I think I say at least two every day," I admitted, pulling my sunglasses to rest on the top of my head as I pulled out my camera from a messenger bag that rested on my hip.

" No, no, no, it's at least four. Four at the minimum," Riley teased, taking the camera from me and snapping a picture of the Old State House. I rolled my eyes and snatched it back; he had a habit of taking the camera from me whenever I pulled it out. After a pause Riley suddenly asked,

" Who's hungry?"

For lunch we headed across a few lanes of traffic to get to Quincy Market, eating at a small Mexican restaurant where we sat under an overhang outside, enjoying the slight breeze. We chatted about close to just the history of Boston, spotting a few re-enactors walk by dressed as British soldiers or Colonists. Riley, as usual, asked random questions here and there, and put in some of his famous monotone input as well. Abigail had taken my camera and took a few snapshots of the buildings around us, and then browsed the pictures.

" You know, both of you are completely adorable," She commented to Riley and I, smiling at a few of the pictures. She turned it around to show Riley, Ben and I a picture Riley had taken of him pressing a kiss to my cheek, his sunglasses set slightly askew.

" We strive for it," Riley said with a smirk, wrapping me in his arms and giving me a brief kiss.

" Just don't take it too far," Ben said, his brotherly tone sneaking back into his voice.

" Ben…" I sighed with a laugh, rolling my eyes. I adjusted the necklace around my neck, having kept it on through the night. Ben grinned at me, crossing his arms.

" I'm just saying…"

" Okay, so, I'm making a request," I told the three, wrapping an arm around Riley's shoulder. " We have to look around here; you know, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall and all that. You can't _not_ go to Boston and not come here; I promise you won't regret it. Besides, it's been one of my favorite spots since I was a little girl." I grinned as I heard a slight childishness in my voice, looking around at the busy walkways in between the buildings. Ben chuckled and crossed his legs, smiling at me.

" I remember you telling me that when we were kids. Always said that you loved the shops and street performers. Didn't you mention something about a cute boy dressed as a British troop once?" Ben had a smirk on his face, having purposefully played that 'cute re-enactor' bit. Riley's brows shot up as he looked at me.

" Cute?" He asked.

" I was a little girl and a weird teenage girl! And, in my defense, the guy _was_ cute, but that was before I met you Riley," I said, kissing his cheek for his reassurance before patting his hand. His brows furrowed as we all stood to leave.

" Yeah, well, any British soldier tries to hit on you and he'll be really sorry," Riley said in a pretty deadly monotone. I laughed and lovingly took his hand. I glanced at Ben, shooting him a look as Abigail lightly backhanded his chest. Ben just continued to smile and then added,

" Oh, don't forget the Minutemen and the Colonists, I think she mentioned those too."

OOOO

_**Third Person POV:**_

Travis sat on the couch in the hotel suit, twirling a pen between his fingers, blue eyes fixed on a specific point in the wallpapered wall. At the desk in the corner of the room, one of his men, Curtis, was still typing and clicking away as he had been for the past hour.

" How's it coming?" Travis asked. They'd been trying to get some sort of trace on this… Arabella Fletcher or her friends for over two hours. They needed to know where she was staying, or at the very least, where she'd been.

" I've got the hotel she's staying at, and I've managed to pull up some files from that…" Curtis told him, clicking on a few more keys.

" Can you pull up her last credit card purchase? If its here in Boston we might just be able to catch her," Ian said, walking in, fixing his dark blue jacket. Curtis gave a nod and continued to click and pull things up. Ian knew that their 'technology man' wasn't as good as any of his men back on the Templar Treasure mission. He also knew he wasn't as good as Riley, who, he had to admit, was quite good at computer hacking. It was quite frustrating having to wait for a few hours in order to get information anyone else could get in a few minutes with the correctly placed clicks.

Travis let out a sigh, fixing the collar of his button down shirt. He was beginning to get just a tad impatient. He needed that necklace and needed it _now_. The only way they could get it is if they found that girl and took it from around her neck, assuming she still wore it.

" I've got her last purchase," Curtis finally said. Travis suddenly looked at him. Ian arched a brow in question.

" Where?" Travis asked, snatching up his expensive suit jacket.

" Some shop at Quincy Market about… seven minutes ago." Travis smirked.

" Gentlemen, I think its time."

OOOO

_**Arabella's POV:**_  
I walked out of the store and caught up with everyone else, as we made our way towards Faneuil Hall. On our way, there, the crowds had picked up, and we soon began to get pushed and pulled away from each other, making it harder to keep together. Eventually, I couldn't see Ben, Abigail or Riley, and looked around in slight confusion. I kept walking towards the historic building, hoping to catch up with them there.

However, I found myself quickly and rudely interrupted from my path when a hand wrapped around my upper arm, yanking me into a darkened alley made of arched brick that led directly to Newbury Street. I let out a yell of surprise, my messenger back falling off my shoulder to the ground. Before I could do or say anything to whoever had grabbed me, I was yanked to their chest, an arm holding me tightly to them around my waist, a hand on my head, holding it to their shoulder. My nose was pressed against a cloth covering the shoulder of their jacket, and I tried to shove away, but then the person merely whispered,

" Shh…"

After another few moments, I found that I began to get drowsy… Slowly I shut my eyes involuntarily, and found myself going limp as I fell unconscious.

_**Third Person POV:**_

Ian held Arabella to him, her head pressed against his shoulder. He felt her body go limp in his arms and he shifted her to his other shoulder, revealing a small chloroform soaked piece of cloth atop his shoulder. He continued to hold her in the same position, knowing not many people would think two people who held each other that may as well pass as a couple.

" She out?" Travis asked, walking over.

" Yeah, and she will be for a while," Ian assured him before sweeping the hair from her neck, revealing the clasp of the necklace. " And she's wearing it." Travis walked over and began to try and unclasp it. It didn't move. He tried again only to find it seemly cemented together. His brows creased as he continued to try to get it to open.

" It won't open," Travis told his accomplice, who also had a confused look come over his face. He reached up with his free hand while still holding her, and tried to open it, pulling on his harshly in attempt to break it. Nothing worked. Travis sighed.

" We'll have to bring her back to the hotel, we can't risk her waking up," He said in an annoyed and hushed voice as he pulled out his phone. After hitting one button for speed dial he began to walk to Newbury Street. " Bring the car around, we have an unexpected complication…"

Ian leaned back against the wall, still supporting Arabella, who limply leaned into his chest. He looked down at her and saw her surprisingly peaceful face turned towards his neck, her hair gently curling around her shoulders. Ian had always been interested in Arabella since the moment he ran into her that first night he arrived in D.C. She had a fight and curiosity in her that he'd never seen in any other woman or even in any other person, but he still had a deep-seated resentment towards her and Ben for calling the FBI on him. And now he had to deal with both of them in the exact same city they busted him in. Gently, Ian reached out and pulled back a piece of hair that had fallen into her face, and he dropped his hand, unknowing of why he'd just done it.

On Newbury Street, a silver Honda pulled up and Travis bounded back to Ian, swiping hair from his face.

" I'll take her, you get her bag, we don't need any evidence lying around," He told the blond Englishman, who shifted Arabella into his arms. He picked her up bridal-style to carry her to the end of the alley before making sure no one was too close and carrying her to the car, putting her in the back seat. Ian snatched up her bag and stripped off his jacket and wrapped it around the cloth, knowing he'd have to dispose of it when they got back to the hotel. He glanced around, not spying any of the other people who'd played in his downfall and made his way back to the car, jumping in and closing the door.

OOOO

_**Arabella's POV:**_

I groaned.

A slight headache was pounding inside my head and I felt sore all over. I opened my eyes to find myself staring at my jean-clad knees. I looked up and surveyed my surroundings in confusion. The last thing I'd remembered was being held against someone's body. I found myself in a rather nicely decorated hotel room, but found that I was tied to a chair. I immediately woke up out of my headache-induced stupor and pulled at my arms. They were bound to my sides by a rope that was also wrapped around my chest to secure me to the back of the chair. My wrists were tied together with a rope and rested on my lap and note that my ankles were also bound to the legs of the chairs.

I struggled to get free but couldn't, the rope being too much.

" Don't struggle, you'll hurt yourself," Said a familiar accented voice. I froze and slowly looked towards the doorway. Standing there, wearing a black button down, dark jeans, and short-cropped blond hair was Ian Howe. I felt my eyes widen and he smirked, crossing his arms.

" So _wonderful_ to see you again, Arabella."

_**Afterword:**__** Ohhh, cliff-hanger! I'm evil, am I not? XD Okay, sorry about the late update, but with plays and auditions and homework and school, I hope you understand! Also, I got to see 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' last night, which is what held this off from being posted yesterday. I loved it. LOVED IT! Ahaha, enough of my mindless fangirling over the movie and the wonderful Martin Freeman, onto…**_

_**REVIEW REPLIES!**_

**grapejuice101:**_ And Ian and Travis officially kidnapped her! Let's see where this goes… I'm glad you've been enjoying the story! Thanks again!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ I hope you enjoyed the chapter, glad you enjoyed the last one! Thanks again!_

**Phillipfan24:**_ Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was kinda fun to write XD Thanks again! Hope you enjoyed!_

**elfen silver power ranger:**_ Again, I'm sorry for the late update, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks again!_

**will zona:**_ Ahaha, yeah, my b-day was on the 29__th__, I have a friend who has the exact same birthday, and it's always been kinda weird… anyway, thanks again for the review, and I hope you enjoyed!_

**ElevensWife:**_ I'm glad you've been enjoying the stories! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks again!_

_**And to anyone who has read or added this to their favorites or story alerts, thank you! It means a lot to me!**_

_** Well, this chapter is finished! I'll get the next one posted when I can, and I'm on winter break, so hopefully this'll be soon! Thanks again you guys! **_

_**HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**_

_**~Mary**_


	6. Five: What The Hell Is 'Calm'

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own National Treasure (either movie) or any of the characters, I only own my OC Arabella, her family, and the brand new bad guy and his henchmen._

Five: What The Hell Is 'Calm?'

_**Riley's POV:**_

" Okay, Arabella, so what's the story with this place?" I asked as we stopped in front of Faneuil Hall. I waited when she didn't respond, and my eyebrows rose when her silence dragged on. I looked around not finding her anywhere. " Arabella?"

" She was following us, right?" Abigail asked. Ben and I nodded as we stared out across the crowd.

" She could have just been pulled away from us with all these people around," Ben suggested. I nodded, getting a nervous feeling pulling at the pit of my stomach. " Let's just wait here for a bit, she'll show up."

So we waited.

For ten minutes.

She didn't show up.

" Maybe she got really lost and went back to the hotel?" Abigail suggested hopefully from her seat on the rock steps.

" She's lived here before, Abby, I think she remembers her way around!" I snapped.

" Riley, calm down, she hasn't been here for years," Ben tried to reason, putting a hand on my shoulder. I spun around to give him deadpanned look.

" She remembered her way to the airport, Ben, did you _notice_ how many tunnels there are to get there? But try and remember, Ben, after the last few years, one of us going missing is usually _a very bad thing!_" I was almost shouting at him, but I honestly didn't care. My fiancé was missing and I wasn't about to take everything reasonably.

" Riley, I'm sure she's fine…"

" Ben, he… _does_ have a point," Abigail said slowly. We both looked at her. Ben's brows furrowed at her statement.

" He does?" He asked in his trademark skeptical tone.

" Yes. Last time _you_ went missing, you had been kidnapped after diving into the Hudson River. What I suggest is going _back _to the hotel and thinking this through, if Arabella really is lost, she'll give us a call, alright?"

OOOO

" _The Patriots are to play…_" The sports section of the news came on and it became an annoying buzz in my ear as I tapped my feet repetitively on the floor when I called Arabella's cell for the fifth time. It had been a good hour and a half, and I think that everyone was _finally_ as concerned as I way.

" Any answer?" Ben asked, beginning to pace.

" No, same as last time. Right to voicemail…" I muttered, tossing my phone so it landed on the desk in the corner of the room. We'd all joined together in my and Arabella's room, hoping she'd come back or that she _had_ come back. The luggage hadn't been disturbed, her laptop still sat on the bed and there was no sign of anyone being in there since that morning.

" I hope she's okay…" Abigail whispered. " Should we call her parents?"

" NO!" I said, jumping to my feet. " No, no, no! Her father would rip me apart if he found out she's gone missing!"

" But Riley-"

My phone rang.

It took a moment for it to register for all of us, but then I dove, literally, over to the desk, collapsing on the floor before flinging my arm up and grabbing it. On the floor I looked at the caller ID, only to note it was a 1-800 number. Muttering a swear, I completely collapsed on the floor.

" Damn telemarketers!" I shouted, pressing my hands to land on my face.

" Riley, calm down!" Ben said sternly.

" What the _HELL_ is calm, Ben?!" I practically screamed, hauling myself into a sitting position. I could feel my face going red. " Would _YOU _be 'calm' if _ABIGAIL_ was missing? Would you!? No! And would you like to know _why_ I'm so nervous? Because Ian broke out of jail, Ben, and he probably has a _serious_ grudge against you two! I'd rather have my fiancé alive and well for our wedding that's in _one week_!"

Abigail's eyes widened at Ian's name.

" We'll go out and look for her, everywhere, and I mean _everywhere_. We'll check restaurants, museums, hotel lobbies, and stores, everywhere. Let's go," Ben said nodding to the door.

I shot towards it like I had rockets attached to my feet and grabbed my phone. All we had wanted was a relaxed week before the wedding and this is what we got? I was in pure panic mode, and honestly, I couldn't help but think Ian had something to do with this. The blond man lived to make our lives hell, and he had succeeded in the past, who's to say he wouldn't again? The worry building in my throat for Arabella was rising and I couldn't push it down. I needed to find her and make sure she was safe, _perfectly _safe, and that we would be able to keep the rest of the week calm. Unfortunately, that didn't seem like an option all too soon…

So much for relaxation…

_**Afterword:**__** Wicked short, I know, but it's an update. Not to sure about it, kind of stutter and quick paced, but I thought it would be nice to update at least once this weekend. My musical is kicking me into exhaustion lately so I get sleep in whenever I can, even if it's during homework… but I hope you somewhat liked this chapter anyway!**_

_**REVIEW REPLIES!**_

**grapejuice101:**_ We'll see how well they operate with an angry Riley… that should be interesting XD Hope it wasn't too weird of a chapter and thanks again!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ Riley's panicking, who can blame him? Next chapter we see what Arabella's been up to… thanks again and hope you enjoyed!_

**Shadow97:**_ It was from Riley's POV, I was going to do it in third person POV, but then it sort of just came out like this… I hope it wasn't too… odd. Thanks again!_

**will zona:**_ I'm glad you liked it! I'm half way through the Hobbit, and I absolutely loved the movie… saw it twice… I'm also looking forward to the next Star Trek movie. I'm glad you've been liking the story! Thanks again and may the Force be with you as well!_

**jeffhardyluvsme:**_ I'm glad you came back to read the stories! I'm glad you've been enjoying them too! And we'll definitely see how Riley reacts to Ian… I'm thinking it'll be pretty bad… thanks again and hope you enjoyed!_

_**And thanks to those who have read and added it to their favorites/story alerts, it truly means the world to know you guys like it!**_

_** Well, that's it for this incredibly short chapter, but I hope to get into the action more soon! Thanks again you guys, let me know what you think!**_


	7. Six: No Trust Here

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own National Treasure (either movie) or any of the characters. I only own my OC's, meaning Arabella, Travis and his henchmen._

Six: No Trust Here

_**Arabella's POV:**_

_ " Don't struggle, you'll hurt yourself," Said a familiar accented voice. I froze and slowly looked towards the doorway. Standing there, wearing a black button down, dark jeans, and short-cropped blond hair was Ian Howe. I felt my eyes widen and he smirked, crossing his arms._

_ " So __**wonderful**__ to see you again, Arabella."_

I felt my jaw go slack.

Of _course_ it was Ian who did this. Who else would want me kidnapped and tied to a chair? I can't deny the worry and anger that suddenly washed over me, which then brought about how _scared_ I should be. And… I was. I wanted to cower back into the chair I was tied to, hide my face and squeeze my eyes shut. I just wanted to disappear. But that stupid smirk on Ian's face pulled into a grin as he stepped into the room more.

" Don't look so surprised to see me again, it was bound to happen some time or another," Ian said, stopping in front of me. I stared up at him and snapped my mouth shut. " Not going to talk to an old friend? I thought I remembered you being _kinder_."

" Is that supposed to be sarcastic?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He chuckled.

" Of course it is. You had me thrown in jail, that's _anything_ but kind." Ian ran a hand through his hair and quirked a brow. I felt my own eyebrows shoot up at his statement. I should have known a man like Ian could hold a grudge the way a monkey held onto a banana.

" Is _that_ what this is about? Some sort of… revenge plot for stopping you from _vandalizing _one of the most famous landmarks in Boston? One of the most iconic places in the American Revolution?" I asked with a disbelieving laugh, pulling against the bonds on my chest. " Ian, you had it coming the _moment_ you blew up _The Charlotte_!"

" Still upset about all that?" He teased. I gaped at him.

" You put a _gun_ to my head!" I exclaimed.

" Better to have something to… persuade the others to cooperate."

" Oh, I've had some choice words for you for the past few years, Ian, and don't think I'm about to hold them back!" I all but shouted, straining against my restraints again. Ian let out a laugh and shook his head, stepping back towards the door.

" And unfortunately I'll have to listen to those choice words later. And in answer to an earlier question of yours, no, this is _not_ about what happened those years ago… not really."

With that said, Ian smirked again and stepped out of the room, leaving me alone. I stared open-mouthed at the doorway. Ian was apparently one for drama… and for being cryptic. I let out a groan and let my head drop back, my body slumping as much as it could from under the restraints. I couldn't believe this was happening. I was getting married in a week; all I wanted was some nice down time with family and friends. I didn't want to kick up another crazy event like _this_. That was all I needed at the moment! More stress! And this was the _epitome_ of stress; being tied to a chair in a hotel by a man who surely wanted me punished or worse tends to cause a bit of panic. My neck started to cramp up from where it rested against the carved wood on the chair back.

" You might want to be careful. You wouldn't want to hurt your neck," Said a new and very unfamiliar voice. I lifted my head slowly to stare at a man who was walking into the room, grabbing a chair to sit across from me. My brows furrowed at the new arrival's presence and I shifted in the chair.

He was a fairly tall man, taller than Riley definitely, and he had thick black hair that was carefully combed and styled. His eyes were a startling light blue that were almost… icy, like I was staring at a frozen lake top. The lights in the room made shadows play across his sharply angled cheek bones and he wore a button down shirt that was open over a grey under shirt and black slacks… it was like he had just come home from a business function and was just trying to relax. I looked him over a few more times and I honestly didn't know what to think about him. The smile that suddenly played over his lips almost made me want to trust him, but just his general look gave me a feeling like I wanted to turn and run away.

" I think getting a crick in my neck is the _least _of my worries right now…" I muttered. " And may I ask who you are?"

" Ah, yes, I'm being rude, aren't I?" The man smiled again (it was so happy I dared to say that he was acting) and sat down in the chair he just placed across from me. " My name is Travis Ratchet, Miss Fletcher. I insist you call me Travis though," Travis insisted. I sighed. Well, if he was insisting on being all in-formal 'Miss Fletcher' wasn't going to do… even if he was all mysterious and what not.

" Fine. But you'll have to call me Arabella, 'Miss Fletcher' makes me sound kind of stuck up, don't ya think?" I mumbled. Travis chuckled and scratched his jaw.

" You are quite funny, I believe Mr. Howe mentioned that. Now, to get down to business…"

" Whoa, whoa, wait, wait… One more question for you, _Travis_. Who are you exactly, meaning, why are you here?"

" Ah, well, if you just let me speak I'd be able to get to that. Now, might I inquire what you know about that necklace you wear?" Travis' brows creased and his smile was gone, resting his chin on his clasped hands. I blinked a few times and just stared at him.

" The… necklace?"

" Yes, the necklace."

" You want to know about my… _necklace_. I'm sorry, but what the hell? Why on earth would _Ian_ want to kidnap me to find out about a _necklace?_" I asked. Another burst of laughter passed through his lips as he rolled his eyes.

" Ian? No, Arabella, he only _works_ for me; he had no intentions prior to his… _Release_ from jail of kidnapping you. I must admit it was all my planning."

The room went silent. I'm sure I must have heard wrong. This man, a man I had _never met in my life_ had kidnapped me… to find out about my necklace? This made no sense _at all._ I glanced down my nose to my chest where I could just barely see the coin on the chain.

" Um… I… okay…? It's… it's a replica of a necklace that was believed to have been from Atlantis, it was a gift from my fiancé…" I said in lack of any better plan. Travis shook his head and stood.

" That is where you happen to be wrong. What you wear around your neck is _not_ a replica," Travis told me as Ian stepped back into the room. I stared between the two, who both had their arms crossed. I let out a laugh. Not a replica? That would imply… that it was the _real_ necklace, which I saw for myself in the museum.

" You're pulling my leg right?" I asked. Travis looked down at my legs and smirked.

" I don't believe I am—it might just be your pant leg pulling against the rope," He replied. I shot him a look, face deadpanning in my best Riley impression.

" Ha. Ha. That's so funny. I really have no patience for jokes right now. This _has_ to be a replica. The one on the museum—"

" Is a fake," Ian interjected. " We snuck into the museum last night to borrow it but we discovered a rather telltale sign that it wasn't the original."

" By 'snuck in' you mean 'break into' and by 'borrow' you mean 'steal and probably destroy,' right? I mean… that's what you planned to do with the Declaration, was it not?" I asked in a cold voice. Truth be told, I was far beyond pissed off. " And how can I trust you aren't just making this up?"

With the click of a button on a remote in his hand, Ian flicked the television in the room on, immediately pulling up the news. A shot of the MFA was on the screen with a small notation in the corner with a picture of the necklace.

" _It had been reported early this morning that a break in had occurred at the Museum of Fine Arts, right here in Boston. Now, nothing appeared damaged, but a handful of night guards claimed to have been knocked unconscious by a group of men in black, presumably art thieves. When security tapes were checked this afternoon, it became apparent what their goal had been: The Gorgon Necklace currently being lent to the museum. When checked, it appears the thieves left empty handed, revealing that the necklace on display had been a fake. Now, the museum curator claims to not have known about this, but the police will have to look further into thi—_"

The news reporter's voice was cut off as Ian shut the television off again. I stared at the black screen and gulped slightly.

" Okay… so… if this… _is_ the real necklace, than why do you want it? Turning to petty art thievery because you can't find anymore hidden treasures to find?" I asked, the question mainly aimed towards Ian. He shot me a cold look just as Travis answered.

" On the contrary, we have reason to believe this necklace is the key to Atlantis. A key to the gates that will let us into the sunken city and all it's marvelous powers," Travis replied.

_Oh you're kidding me…_ I thought. It was honestly the last thing I wanted to here. I knew Riley and I had jinxed the whole 'not going on a crazy adventure before the wedding' thing.

" Atlantis. You want this necklace because you think it's a key to _Atlantis_?"

" Do you not believe? I would have thought you were all for the idea; you _have_ discovered the Templar Treasure and Cibola."

" One: I'm not saying I don't believe in the idea, in fact, I find it kind of plausible, and two: if you want the damned necklace, take it, by all means and let me go," I told them, gesturing with my bound hands to my neck. Travis chuckled and shook his head, leaning forward so he sat on the edge of the chair, his face close to mine. I could feel his breath brush over my cheek and I was forced to look into his eyes made of ice.

" If we could, don't you think we would have taken it? We can't get it off, so if you'd be _so_ kind as to tell us how you got it _stuck_ this mess may end soon," He told me, reaching up and rubbing the coin between his thumb and pointer finger. I would have craned my head back if I wasn't so confused on what he'd just said.

" Can't… can't get it off? I… I've only had this for two days and all I did was clasp it!" I exclaimed, reaching up to my neck as much as I could and pulled at the chain so the clasp came around to the front. I looked down as best I could and noticed something very off.

The clasp had been fused together and it wouldn't open.

" I… oh my God, I have _no_ idea what happened…" I muttered, hoping I sounded truthful and shocked… because I was being truthful and I was completely shocked.

" Well… this may prove problematic, don't you think, Mr. Howe?"

" I think so. I think she may be having an extended stay with us while we try and figure out what our next move is," Ian agreed. Travis continued to finger the necklace.

" Well… till we can know how to get this off of her neck she'll just have to accompany us." He looked me dead in the eye and his face went stern. His eyes were hard and cold and his entire demeanor shifted towards threatening. " And you won't be a problem. Will you?"

" If you were expecting me to get Stockholm Syndrome you're terribly wrong and doing a miserable job trying to initiate it," I simply stated. Travis quickly let go of the necklace and stood quickly, making his chair rock. So _this_ is what he was normally like.

" Mr. Howe, I'm going to have Curtis search up some more on this necklace. Make sure she doesn't do anything… rash or harmful. We'll have food for her within the half hour," Travis said in a smooth and commanding voice, stepping out of the room.

I shut my eyes and shook my head. Had my hands been free I would have dropped my head into my hands and groaned, but that option was clearly not possible. I heard someone sit back down in the seat in front of me. Opening my eyes, I saw Ian's face. He had his arms crossed and his eyes trained on my face.

" You're engaged," He pointed out, nodding to my engagement ring. I looked down at it and nodded.

" I am."

" It's not Ben is it?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed. I shook my head and stared down at my ring again.

" No, no… He and Abigail, you know. I never once had a crush on him in my _life_," I told him. I used my shoulder to scratch my cheek and Ian rubbed the back of his head.

" So who's the lucky man?" He asked. I gave him a look, brow arched, forehead wrinkled.

" Why the sudden interest in my personal life?" I asked curiously.

" Would you rather I leave you alone in the silence to ponder what on earth we might do to you? Or would you rather try and have a _decent_ conversation with one of the only decent people here?"

" Right, you, decent," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I decided to then just put the situation to rest and tell him. " It's Riley, by the way." Ian's brows shot up and he laughed for a moment.

" _Riley?_ That awkward little tech-rat with the glasses and wool socks who tried to threaten me for freezing his computer?" Ian chortled. I glared at him.

" He's far better than you any day of the week, Ian. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get lost in my mind and think about what fate awaits me down the road," I shot back, face blank. He rolled his eyes again, something I was beginning to hate him for, and walked towards the door.

" You've gotten that face from him, you do know." And then he was gone.

I sighed and shook my head, shutting my eyes. If there was one thing I was completely sure about all the people here (however many there actually were), it was that I couldn't trust any of them. There was no trust here, and I wasn't about to let them trick me into thinking otherwise.

_**Afterword:**__** WHOA. Sorry about the late update… again… but I hope you enjoyed it!**_

_** SO, I have a real reason for not updating lately. I've been studying for exams… and then life got really complicated. On Tuesday, my first exam day, I woke up with a toothache from HELL and had to stay home and go to the dentist… Only to find out I have to get a root canal to save my tooth and so they put me on some painkillers and antibiotics… yesterday I find out that, hey, guess what, I'm allergic to the antibiotic and broke out in hives. So, I've been home for a good three days and I finally got to type this up now that I feel better. Well, that's been my last few weeks, I hope yours were better XD I'm still dealing with Les Misérables feels too…**_

_** TRAVIS AND IAN ARE UP TO NO GOOD. They try and gain Arabella's trust… let's see how that works out for them…**_

_**REVIEW REPLIES!**_

**jeffhardyluvsme:**_ Riley does odd things when he panics; he doesn't quite see straight. And for his sake, let's hope it was just a telemarketer XD Anyway, thanks for the review, hope your enjoying the story!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ We'll see what devious plans Ian and Travis are cooking up, 'cause it doesn't seem like they're about to let her go any time soon, does it? I'm glad you've been enjoying it! Thanks again!_

**grapejuice101:**_ We get more on Travis and Ian and Arabella! Looks like things are spiraling way out of control… and we'll see what fresh madness awaits them in the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed! Thanks again!_

**will zona:**_ I'm glad that you enjoyed it! And I love Star Wars as well, I only just became a fan of Star Trek. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and thanks again!_

**Shadow97:**_ I'm glad you've been enjoying all the chapters so far! Thanks again and hope you liked it!_

**a hobbit:**_ Yeah, sorry about that late update XD Toothaches and allergies and exams really screwed up my writing schedule! Regardless, I hope you liked this chapter! Also, I saw you like Sherlock, which happens to probably be on my top favorite shows. I watched it this morning XD Gotta love Sherlock and John! Anyway, thanks again!_

**And thanks to all who had read and added this to their favorites/story alerts. It means a lot to me!**

_** So, I hope the story is sort of progressing, I'm planning as I go, and I'm open to suggestions and situations! If you know me, I try and please everyone, even if it makes me tear my hair out while I think of a compromise XD So, let me know what you think, leave suggestions and ideas if you have any and I'll talk to you all the next chapter! Thanks again, guys!**_

_**~Mary**_


	8. Seven: Notes

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own National Treasure (either movie) or any of the characters. I only own my OC's, meaning Arabella, Travis and his henchmen._

Seven: Notes

It would come to a surprise to anyone, including myself, that I was back in my hotel room at the Colonnade Hotel. Except I wasn't there to sit on the bed and wait for Riley to come back; no, I was there because I was instructed to find Riley's laptop so their own resident computer hacker could use Riley's software to hack into some database or such for more info on the necklace. I was suddenly glad that Riley and I had identical laptops. As I logged into both, I quickly scribbled down a note and stuck it against the screen of _my_ laptop, shutting it with a snap. I held up Riley's computer.

" This one's his," I told Travis and Ian, who were standing by the door.

" Great," Travis said, snatching it from my hand. " Now, let's go before your friends come back."

" Yes, Inspector Javert, Sir," I mocked as Ian pulled on a hat to hide his face.

" Ah, so I see you know Les Misérables. Well then, 24601, allow me to escort you back to the car," Travis replied with a smirk, lacing an arm tightly through mine.

I allowed them to pull me back down the elevator and to the car with tinted windows they'd hired; I'd guessed pretty quickly that Travis must be fairly wealthy if he'd hired a car and a group of henchmen… I also noted the designer name on the tag of his suit jacket. The necklace sitting on my neck felt weighted now. If I could just yank it off, hand it over and be done with this _insane_ mess, I'd gladly do it. Then, maybe after the wedding and honeymoon we could all go after Travis and Ian. But I had a feeling that said wonderful notion wasn't about to come true.

Ian had to sneak in the back door as not to get noticed, and Travis took me to the front, probably trying to make it look like we were some sort of couple. I did my best to scowl and walk slowly to the elevators beside him, just to annoy him. I wondered if the two men noticed that I wasn't resisting or putting up fight to get free from them or not. Honestly, I was just hoping that Riley, Ben and Abigail would get my note and figure out _some_ way to get me the _hell_ out of the hotel room.

_**Riley's POV:**_

After a day long of close to constant searching, we returned to the hotel, exhausted and completely deterred. As each hour wore on, I was seriously beginning to consider that Ian had everything to do with her disappearance. Ben kept trying to tell me that I was making a completely bigger deal out of it, but what other explanation was there?

I sat on the bed and ran my hands through my hair, shutting my eyes, which were beginning to sting.

" Riley, maybe she's called?" Abigail asked with what was probably supposed to be comfort or hope. Well, it wasn't going to help.

" Has my phone rung in the last few hours? No, I thought not, so she obviously _didn't_," I grumbled, squeezing said phone in my grasp. " I just want to know what the hell is going on. I want to know where my fiancé is! I want her _back._"

" You should check the news to see if there's anything on Ian's escape. I hate to say it… but I think you might be right about him being involved, Riley," Ben said, switching the television on.

I tuned out everything as I mindlessly flipped through photos on my phone, staring at pictures of Arabella I'd taken before. Before I knew it, someone was shaking my shoulder in attempts to grab my attention. I slowly looked up, expressionless, and saw Ben's worried face.

" What?" I asked.

" The MFA was robbed. Men after the Gorgon Necklace." My brow furrowed.

" Like the replica I got Arabella?"

" The one in the MFA was a fake. Didn't Arabella say that hers looked more… worn or tarnished than the one in the case?" Abigail asked.

My eyes flew wide and I jumped up to grab my laptop, which had been sitting on the desk. It wasn't there. I began to practically tear the hotel room apart in search of my computer, but it just wasn't _anywhere_.

" Where the _hell_ is my laptop? I swear to God I put it on the desk! And… Arabella's is on the table, why is it on the table, she left it on the bed?" I muttered, staring at the silver laptop. After a long pause, I lunged for it, scrambling to throw it open.

" Riley, are you okay?" Abigail asked slowly. I probably looked insane. I honestly didn't care.

" What else in the room seems different, Ben, Abby? The laptop was moved and the chairs have shifted. Someone was in here!" I pointed out, finally getting the laptop open. Something fluttered onto the keyboard. A hastily scribbled note in familiar handwriting met my eyes and I couldn't help the stupid grin that lit my face in a matter of seconds. It was Arabella's writing. But, reading it over, my face immediately fell.

" What is that?" Ben asked, walking over. I held it up.

" A note from Arabella. Judging the fact that the name 'Ian' is written on here, I'd guess it was safe to say that he's gotten her. _This_ is why I panicked when we found out he escaped, Ben!" I shouted, shoving the scrap of paper into his hands. He shot me a look and stared at the note.

" This is a hotel and a room number. The Parker House Hotel. Harvey Parker Suite. She knows where he's keeping her. So…" Ben crossed his arms and got that annoying thinking look on his face I'd gotten used to over the course of knowing him. " Ian must be after that necklace… but the question is why? It obviously holds extreme value… could it have belonged to a Grecian queen? A… sacrificial piece of jewelry that would be made of expensive metals? No, no… Ian wouldn't care about _just_ a necklace. We're talking about the man who was willing to destroy important historical relics." Ben arched a brow and rubbed his chin, brown eyes narrowing in thought. Yeah, destroy historical relics; and try and kill us multiple times in the process, let's not forget! " No… this has to be something bigger than that. Riley, can you pull up—"

" Everything known on the necklace? Already on it. Don't think so little of me, breaking through this security code is easy as _pie_," I said with a grim smirk on my face as I typed away on the keyboard. All private information on the necklace was under government security, which was the first big tip off that it was something so much more than a necklace. Ben and Abigail gathered behind me as one by one, files began popping up. " Okay… Found off the coast of Santorini, yadda, yadda, yadda… Atlantis… _Atlantians_… whoa, okay, that's different." I yanked on my glasses and leaned closer to the screen, scrunching up my face.

" What is?' Abby asked with hopeful interest.

" It's just… it says the necklace was the supposed _key_ into Atlantis. It's supposed to… open the gates and, according to myth, it won't come off till it actually arrives at the gates," I said, pointing to a section of text.

" I've _never_ heard anything about a necklace in any of the legends," Abigail deadpanned crossing her arms.

I looked up at her and arched a brow, daring her to try and be a know-it-all in this situation. She may be an expert on old documents and help run the archives back in D.C., but she didn't have to contradict government documentation, did she? I jabbed a finger at the screen again.

" Yeah, well, if it's the key to Atlantis don't you think that the government wouldn't want anyone to know about it? I mean, imagine, Atlantis the 'city of the Gods,' is real and holds wealth and power; I think it would be safe to say that keeping the key a secret would be a pretty agreed upon thing," I said in a monotone as Ben swiped the computer from the table. Abigail rolled her eyes and arched a brow at me asking,

" You write about that in your book too?"

" Hey, no need for sarcasm, Missy. And, no, I didn't. If I write a _second_ book then I _will_."

" Oh, and you're sure that a second book would sell better than the first?"

" Now you're just being cruel."

" Would you two kindly _shut. Up?_" Ben stressed, putting his glasses on. Brown hair flopped into his eyes and he looked every amount of pissed off that I felt. " We're trying to find Arabella, I think you two could save trivial squabbles till _after_ we save her from Ian, who, may I remind you, is insane." Abigail and I both looked off, not meeting Ben's eyes as we noted how right he was… as usual. " Thank you."

There were a few moments of silence as Ben scanned documents and notes. When the computer was set in front of me, I looked up at him.

" Well?" I asked.

" Well, I'm thinking that we'll need a few tickets to Greece. We'll get Arabella back and then we'll rush over to Santorini to see if there's _something_ we can do about that necklace. If the myths are really true, than the necklace isn't about to come off without _something_ to do with the lost city. And, knowing Ian, he'll drag her all over the world to get into that city," Ben muttered. Sighing, I ran my hands over my face.

" Oh, Sadusky is just going to _love this…_" I muttered, logging on to the internet to buy tickets.

_**Third Person POV:**_

_**FBI Building, Washington, D.C.**_

Agent Sadusky sat at his desk, staring at the articles on his desk. Ian Howe escaped and loose in the city of Boston. He'd been organizing units to go search for him and they were currently en route to the historical city. He ran a hand over his weathered and tired face when a sudden knock echoed on the doorframe of his office. Agent Spellman stood there, looking concerned.

" Yes, Spellman?" He asked.

" Sir, there's been a security breach in one of our programs," She said, holding up a file. He held out a hand, and when he got a hold of it, he flipped it open. It was the print version of the file on the fabled 'key to Atlantis,' which was something the Grecian government had told them to keep a secret… something they obliged to in order to keep the peace.

" Who on _Earth_ would want to get information on this?" Sadusky asked himself before his eyes landed on the spine of a book sitting in the corner of the room: Riley Poole. Sighing, he shook his head, dropping the file. " Benjamin Gates… Somebody find that _insane_ man!"

" Mr. Howe or Mr. Gates?"

" Both!"

_**Arabella's POV:**_

_**Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts**_

I was slightly relieved when I was tied to a more comfortable chair in the living room section of the suite; my hands were bound to the chair arms, my legs were tied together and my waist was loosely tied to the back of the chair. I wasn't isolated anymore, so I didn't have to sing show tunes to myself to keep busy. Travis sat on the couch after conferencing with his men. I looked over at him, head resting on the chair back.

" Did you know this hotel is haunted?" I asked.

" Really?" He asked without interest.

" Mm-hmm. By Harvey Parker, the man who built this hotel in eighteen fifty-four. Supposedly the elevators arrive on the third floor without anyone waiting there to get on. That floor is the one Charles Dickens once stayed on. Oh, and lets not forget all the shadows, orbs and sounds of rocking chairs. Interesting, isn't it?" I asked, smiling. He gave me a blank look.

" You've been trying to annoy me for the past hour."

" Is it working?"

" No." He grinned. I rolled my eyes.

" I'm not lying though. Maybe Harvey Parker will save me from this," I muttered, leaning my head backwards. " We _are_ in the Harvey Parker Suite, after all."

Travis rolled his eyes and chuckled and stood, going over to a bag one of his men had just returned with. He untied me from the chair and grabbed my arm, hauling me over towards the large bathroom.

" Please, change into these." He pressed the bag into my arms. " I have a feeling it'll be warm in Greece," He told me, smirking a bit. My eyes widened.

" _Greece?_"

" Yes, _Greece._ Now, get dressed, we leave in half an hour." The door closed. I locked it.

I stared at my disheveled appearance in the mirror. My hair was a horrible mess and my clothes were wrinkled. I had the oddest feeling if I didn't change I'd get into more trouble than I was already in. I didn't want to know how much the clothes cost; the bag was from a designer store I never dreamed of walking into. Sighing, I pulled on the flowing bright blue halter tank top and white skinny jeans, grimacing at the sandals in the bottom of the bag; I'd never been a fan of them, but it looked like I wasn't going to have a choice. I topped it off with a grey jacket and grudgingly sighed and braided my hair.

_Riley, Ben, Abby… __**please**__ save me soon…_

_**Afterword:**__** Well, that took a while to get up XD Sorry about that, I had writers block for this story; I'm figuring out what'll happen as I go XD **_

_**REVIEW REPLIES!**_

**grapejuice101: **_Hope you enjoyed the update! Got some Sadusky in there. XD Thanks again!_

**Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967:**_ Glad you liked it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! Thanks again!_

**a hobbit:**_ I really enjoyed your most recent update! I'm glad you've been enjoying the story! Thanks again, hope you enjoyed!_

**will zona:**_ Ahhh, J.J. Abrams! XD I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and hope you liked this one! Thanks again!_

**And thanks to those who have read/added to favorites/added to story alert. Means a lot to me!**

_** So, if you google Omni Boston Hotel Haunted, you can get the page where I found out about the haunting stories and such. It's a GORGEOUS hotel, and I figured Travis could afford it… he appears to be, well… loaded XD**_

_** What do you think? Will Riley and the gang catch them before they make it to the airport or will Travis and Ian get away with her? Hmm?**_

_** Also, just a heads up to those of you who saw and voted my newest story poll, Captain America won and I posted the first chapter for it! It's a Steve/OC fanfic, so if you're interested, go read it and let me know what you think!**_

_** Thanks again guys! See you again next chapter!**_

_**~Mary **_


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